Published September 1979
Anthracene is the principal raw material for the manufacture of anthraquinone, an intermediate in dye production.
A preliminary process design for an Anthraquinone from Naphthalene plant has been prepared by SRI based on information in some of the Bayer patents. For comparison, a preliminary process design based on one of the then commercial routes to anthraquinone, vapor phase oxidation of anthracene, was also prepared. An economic evaluation of the two processes indicates that the naphthalene route has a higher capital investment but lower production cost (if credit for by-product phthalic anhydride is included) than the anthracene route. The naphthalene route would seem to be preferred at what appear to be reasonable values for naphthalene, anthracene, and phthalic anhydride.
